Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV), an often fatal diarrheal illness in pigs, has been in the news for nearly a year, even inspiring a bit on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

A quick Google search for "PEDV" is sure to garner dozens of articles, many recent, highlighting the growing concerns raised by farmers, consumers, and government agencies.

According to an article on CNBC.com, "Porcine epidemic diarrhea has killed millions of pigs in 27 states since showing up in the U.S. last May. ... The U.S. Department of Agriculture said it would step up efforts by requiring farms to report infections and labs to report positive tests from submitted tissue and fecal samples."

As PEDV is believed to be the result of extreme confinement of pigs on today's factory farms, there's never been a better time to ditch pork in favor of healthy, humane alternatives.

For delicious recipes and tips on making the transition, visit ChooseVeg.com.